ANC Champ: Sony's WH-1000XM5 are 25% Off Ahead of Black Friday

That's the record price for the headphones, which gives you a huge 25 percent ($100) saving. The deal applies to the black and rosy pink while the blue and ecru are priced at $328, still a huge discount to consider.

Why we love the Sony WH-1000XM5

There's no denying that the Sony WH-1000XM5 (review) is getting long in the tooth after it debuted in mid-2022. However, it's still some of the noise-canceling over-ear headphones that we recommend even today, thanks to several good reasons.

Technically, the WH-1000XM5 are a complete upgrade from their predecessors. On the outside, they have a sleeker look, introducing more modern earcups and a thinner step-less headband. This setup is more charming compared to the outdated bulky design of the WH-1000XM4. While they dropped the foldable form, the headphones retained the touch controls and physical buttons.

Besides the design, Sony gave the headphones meaningful improvements internally such as powering it with enhanced processors paired with eight mics for more effective noise-canceling capabilities and clearer calls. You also get upgraded 30 mm drivers which offer precise and balanced sound. Plus, they support Sony's LDAC codec and the DSEE Extreme mode.

While in usability, Sony's WH-1000XM5 offer compatibility with Android and iOS, although mobile apps for both ecosystems need some getting used. App features and controls are extensive and include a wide range of equalizer customizations. There are multi-pairing, Bluetooth 5.2, and Spotify Tap, among the nice connectivity additions.

Charging the WH-1000XM5 takes considerable time, but you're getting a solid battery life of up to 40 hours with the ANC disabled.

Are you shopping for any headphones at these pre-Black Friday events? What do you think of the Sony WH-1000XM5? Tell us in the comments.